Breathwork Certification & Facilitator Training

Train in person in Phoenix or live online, and practice on real people before you graduate.

Next cohorts: live online starts October 6, 2026. In person in Phoenix October 23-25.

Who Is Liquid Breathwork?

Meet Ryan & Shelby

An engaged couple out of Phoenix who built a gentler way to do this work, then started teaching it. Ryan created the surrender-based method and has guided Breathwork since 2018. Shelby, a registered nurse, went through it as a student and now teaches beside him.

Ryan McBurney, founder of Liquid Breathwork

Ryan McBurney

Founder & Lead Facilitator

8 years guiding Breathwork, seven breath programs behind him including four full certifications, and a 21-day retreat in the Baja desert with Dan Brulé. He has guided hundreds of one-on-one sessions and led groups for thousands of people. Ryan created the surrender-based method this training is built on. Grounded, unhurried, and more interested in what your body is doing than in performing a session.

Shelby Von Oepen giving hands-on somatic support during a Liquid Breathwork session

Shelby Von Oepen

Co-Founder & Lead Facilitator

A registered nurse of fourteen years, and the graduate Ryan still calls his star student. She has been selling out women’s only classes every month for more than two years. Shelby reads the room: she can tell when someone needs a hand on their shoulder, when they need space, and when they need to be left completely alone, which is the part of facilitation nobody learns from a video.

Past Students

Hear What Graduates Have to Say

Sisily Chevalier, Liquid Breathwork facilitator

Sisily Chevalier - Owner of Body by Sisily, LBW facilitator

“So grateful for both of you, Ryan and Shelby. You’re changing my life right as we speak ... the ladies both booked for next week for paid sessions.”

After getting certified she had paid one-on-ones and a group session booked in Santa Clarita.

Krystal, Liquid Breathwork facilitator

Krystal - Realtor, nurse, LBW facilitator

“I was really looking for something that was more gentle, more supportive ... and Liquid Breathwork delivered just that.”

She arrived a beginner, after one Breathwork class elsewhere that felt like a lot. She left certain that everything we need is already within us.

Students speaking about the Liquid Breathwork certification training

Inside the Liquid Breathwork room - Session highlights

Hear from past students as they went through our June 2025 training.

A short look at what a full Liquid Breathwork session actually looks like from the inside.

Shelby holding space at a Liquid Breathwork sound session

Shelby - Registered nurse, LBW facilitator

Sells out a women’s only class every month.

Fourteen years a registered nurse, and Ryan’s star student. She has kept those classes full for over two years.

Nigel, therapist and Liquid Breathwork facilitator

Nigel - Therapist and LBW facilitator

“I felt like that one session of Breathwork was more impactful than multiple sessions of EMDR that I received in therapy.”

He now guides Liquid Breathwork along with practicing as a clinical psychologist.

Kat McGill guiding a Breathwork session at a music festival

Kat McGill - Chef and LBW facilitator, owner of Breath and Blossom

Leads Breathwork at music festivals.

Gem & Jam and Peak State in Austin, 20+ people on the grass.

Joseph Norris, Liquid Breathwork facilitator in Flagstaff

Joseph Norris - LBW facilitator and dad, owner of TranceSENDent Breathwork, Flagstaff, Arizona

“The training gave me the confidence to speak with knowledge about breathwork ... the experiencer is put more at ease and able to go deeper knowing that what is happening is normal and ok.”

He has run a class or two every month since April under his own brand.

Brittany Prince guiding a Breathwork class

Brittany Prince - LBW facilitator, owner of Awakened Prana

“The group calls are supportive and range from business growth to breaking down student’s teachings for feedback.”

Weekly classes, held so consistently that three of her breathers came and got certified in Liquid Breathwork too.

Swipe

Read every five-star Liquid Breathwork review →

The Opportunity

Why Become a Breathwork Facilitator

Everybody can feel it coming. AI is already changing the world and will replace humans in many ways. NOW is the time to step into your purpose and master the art of facilitation.

# 1

The World Is Waking Up to the Power of the Breath

Breathwork is one of the fastest growing wellness practices in the world. People everywhere are waking up to it, AND looking for it.

# 2

A.I. Can’t Co-Regulate a Nervous System

You have a heartbeat, you emit an electromagnetic field, and your nervous system can help others co-regulate and HEAL. Those are the skills that make humans irreplaceable.

# 3

Real Life Experiences Are Future Proof

The more life moves onto a screen, the more we all crave the opposite. Curating an in-person experience people actually FEEL gets more valuable every year, not less.

Breathwork works directly with the nervous system, which is why it reaches people that talking alone often cannot. If you already work with bodies or emotions, it slots straight into what you do. If you do not, it stands on its own.

Choose Your Format

Dates & Tuition

Most Breathwork facilitator trainings run $3,500 to $7,000 or more. Same surrender-based method and the same mentorship whichever format you pick, in person or online.

In-Person

Phoenix Intensive September

A three-day in-person intensive in Phoenix, Arizona. This cohort is full. October and November run the same three days.

Sold Out

September 25-27, 2026

$1,997

Sold Out
Online

Online Cohort 12 Weeks, Live

A 12-week live, small-group online cohort. Train from anywhere with the same surrender-based method and mentorship. Online details below.

Starts October 6, 2026

Tuition · $1,497

6 spots left

Join the cohort
In-Person

Phoenix Intensive October

Three days of hands-on facilitation practice in Phoenix, Arizona, then the full online curriculum. In-person details below.

October 23-25, 2026

Early bird · $1,997 $1,697

2 early-bird spots left

Reserve your spot
In-Person

Phoenix Intensive November

Three days of hands-on facilitation practice in Phoenix, Arizona, then the full online curriculum. In-person details below.

November 6-8, 2026

Early bird · $1,997 $1,697

1 early-bird spot left

Reserve your spot
  • Complete course materials and manual
  • Ongoing mentorship from Ryan and Shelby
  • Private graduate community access
  • Monthly payment plans available

Not sure yet? or book a Clarity Call.

Payment Plans Available

Monthly payment options on every format, because money should not be the reason someone called to this work never does it. Email [email protected] or call 480-660-9890.

Financing through Affirm, Afterpay and Klarna, as low as 0% interest depending on your situation.

In Person · Phoenix, Arizona

The Phoenix In-Person Intensive

Our in-person Breathwork certification is a three-day intensive in the Phoenix, Arizona metro, Friday through Sunday, co-led by Ryan McBurney and Shelby Von Oepen, RN BSN. Facilitation is a felt skill: reading a room, adjusting your pacing, holding space when an emotion surfaces. You practice on real people, receive sessions yourself, and lead live Breathwork before you leave, with feedback in the moment.

  • Hands-on facilitation practice. You guide live sessions in small groups and get real-time coaching, not just theory.
  • Lead real sessions before you leave. By the final day you have facilitated for actual participants.
  • Small cohorts on purpose. Every student gets practicum time, personal attention, and honest feedback.
  • A credential backed by practice. You graduate with the Liquid Breathwork Facilitator Certification and the reps to stand behind it.

Upcoming Phoenix cohorts run October 23-25 and November 6-8, 2026. Tuition starts at $1,697 early bird, $1,997 standard, with monthly payment plans available.

What matters to youIn-Person IntensiveLive Online Cohort
Hands-on practicePractice on real bodies in the room, every dayPracticum guided over live video calls
Lead real sessionsYou facilitate live participants before you leaveYou build toward leading sessions over 12 weeks
Format3-day Phoenix intensive, Friday to Sunday12 weeks, live weekly group calls
FlexibilityTravel to Phoenix, Arizona on set datesJoin from anywhere, the most flexible option
InvestmentFrom $1,697 early bird, $1,997 standard$1,497, the most affordable path

Both paths teach the identical surrender-based method with the same mentorship. Choose in person for depth and real-room practice, or live online for flexibility.

Live Online · From Anywhere

The 12-Week Live Online Cohort

The online path is a live 12-week cohort, not a set of recordings you work through alone. A typical week pairs one live group call taught by Ryan and Shelby with a video module you watch on your own schedule. The calls are where the work happens: teaching, practicum, feedback on your facilitation, and business coaching. Pay $1,497 once, payment plans available, and you are certified for life with no recurring subscription.

  • Live weekly group calls. Small cohort, real mentorship, taught by Ryan and Shelby in real time.
  • Full video curriculum. The complete surrender-based method, yours to learn and rewatch at your own pace.
  • Business and marketing training. How to actually fill your classes, the part most programs skip.
  • Private graduate community. The same ongoing support and mentorship our in-person students receive.

The next online cohort starts October 6, 2026 and runs 12 weeks. Tuition is $1,497, with monthly payment plans available. No prior experience required.

Our Approach

What You Learn and How We Teach It

Ryan McBurney giving hands-on somatic support to a participant during Liquid Breathwork facilitator training

The Liquid Breathwork Difference

  • Surrender-based method. Active release instead of forced intensity. Breath awareness, activation, relaxation and surrender, then integration.
  • You practice on real people. Live facilitation with Ryan and Shelby in the room, correcting you as it happens.
  • Trauma-informed throughout. Consent, boundaries and nervous system awareness at every level, not a bolt-on module.
  • The business is included. Pricing, filling your first classes, and what to actually do the week after you certify.
  • Small cohorts, permanent access. Direct feedback, a private graduate community, and no subscription to keep what you already paid for.
The full curriculum
  • The full spectrum of Breathwork. How breathing patterns affect your physiology, nervous system, and emotional state, from calming parasympathetic practices to activating somatic release.
  • Hypnotic guidance and facilitation. Voice, pacing, language patterns, and silence. Reading a room and an individual.
  • Creating immersive experiences. Music, soundscapes, and the physical environment that let people drop in deeply.
  • The business of Breathwork. Pricing, first clients, approaching studios and retreat centers, scaling to groups, corporate events, and retreats.
  • Safety and trauma-informed practice. Contraindications, screening, overwhelm versus productive activation, consent, and ethical boundaries.
  • Practicum and live facilitation. Supervised sessions with real participants and direct feedback on presence, voice, timing, and reading the room.
Three pillars, not just technique
  • Your own self-mastery. You go through it first. You cannot hold a space you have never been in, and every facilitator we trust did their own work before they guided anyone else’s.
  • Facilitation mastery. Reading a room, knowing when to move toward someone and when to leave them alone, and staying steady when something big surfaces. This is the part that takes practice on real people.
  • Filling the room. Pricing, finding your first clients, and what to actually do the week after you certify. Skipping this is why most newly certified facilitators never run a second session.
Who this training is for

Breathwork works directly with the nervous system and reaches people where talk alone often cannot. This is one of the most established in-person Breathwork certifications in the United States, taught at our Breathwork certification in Arizona or live online from anywhere. Comparing programs first? Read our Breathwork certification guide or the full Breathwork certification cost breakdown.

  • Yoga teachers and wellness coaches. A modality that sets you apart in a crowded market.
  • Therapists and counselors. Access the nervous system directly for clients that talk alone may not reach.
  • Community leaders. Bring group experiences to your community, team, or organization.
  • Healers and bodyworkers. Deepen your understanding of nervous system regulation alongside your practice.
  • Passionate individuals. No wellness background needed. If something in you knows this is your path, we teach you everything.
  • Not for you if you want a certificate to frame without the inner work, you want the cathartic push-them-through-it style, or you need a state license or clinical credential. Breathwork is not that, and we will not pretend otherwise.
For yoga teachers, therapists, and coaches

You already know how to hold space. That is the hardest part, and it is the part most beginners struggle with. Adding Breathwork to a practice you already run is faster than starting from zero, because the trust and the room-reading are already yours. This is a layer, not a career change.

  • Yoga teachers. Add Breathwork to classes, workshops, and retreats, and stand out in a crowded market.
  • Therapists and counselors. Bring a somatic, body-based tool into the room for clients who are stuck in talk alone.
  • Coaches and bodyworkers. Build Breathwork into programs and sessions as a deeper transformational offer.
Not Ready to Apply?

Book a Call with Ryan & Shelby

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the Liquid Breathwork training program?

In person, the Phoenix intensive is three days, Friday through Sunday, and then you continue into the online curriculum. Online, the live cohort runs 12 weeks. Most graduates feel confident guiding sessions within a few weeks of finishing the core training.

What is the difference between a Breathwork facilitator, teacher, practitioner, and coach?

Mostly language. Different programs pick different words for the same work: guiding people through Breathwork safely. Practitioner tends to emphasize private 1-on-1 sessions, teacher and instructor lean toward group classes, and coach usually means someone folding Breathwork into an existing coaching practice. Our certification trains you for all of it, and our graduates use the titles interchangeably.

Do I need prior Breathwork experience?

No prior Breathwork experience is required. Our training is designed for both complete beginners and experienced wellness professionals. What matters most is your genuine desire to learn and your willingness to do the inner work alongside the practical training.

What credential do I earn from the Liquid Breathwork teacher training?

You earn the Liquid Breathwork Facilitator Certification on completion. Breathwork facilitation is not a licensed profession, so no state agency or third-party body accredits any Breathwork program, ours included. We would rather tell you that plainly than let you assume otherwise.

How much does the Liquid Breathwork teacher training cost?

Tuition is $1,997 for a Phoenix intensive, and the first 3 spots open at $1,697 early bird in October and $1,697 in November until they sell. The 12-week online cohort is $1,497. Every format includes the full training, course materials, ongoing mentorship, business support, and the private graduate community. Most comparable programs run $3,500 to $7,000. Monthly payment plans available.

Can I do the Liquid Breathwork teacher training online?

Yes. The live online cohort runs 12 weeks with weekly group calls taught by Ryan and Shelby in real time, plus the full video curriculum. It teaches the same surrender-based method as the Phoenix intensive, and you can join from anywhere.

What can I do after completing the Breathwork facilitator training?

Guide private sessions, facilitate at retreats and wellness events, offer corporate wellness programs, integrate Breathwork into an existing coaching, therapy, or yoga practice, or build a standalone Breathwork business. Our business module covers everything you need.

How is Liquid Breathwork different from other Breathwork teacher trainings?

Surrender-based methodology (not cathartic or control-based), comprehensive business training included, small cohort sizes for personal attention, and ongoing mentorship and community support after graduation. We invest in your long-term success.

Is Breathwork facilitator training worth the investment?

Many graduates earn back their investment within the first few months. Private sessions range from $100 to $300 each. Beyond financial return, graduates consistently report this is among the most meaningful work they have ever done.

Do you offer payment plans for the Breathwork teacher training?

Yes. We offer flexible payment plans because financial circumstances should not be a barrier. Contact us at [email protected] or call 480-660-9890.

Where is the Liquid Breathwork teacher training held?

In-person training is held in the Phoenix metro area of Arizona, primarily in Mesa. Online components can be completed from anywhere in the world.

When does the next online cohort start?

The next online cohort starts October 6, 2026. It runs for 12 weeks in a live, small-group format with weekly group calls, video modules, and ongoing mentorship from Ryan and Shelby. Tuition is $1,497, and monthly payment plans are available. You can join from anywhere, and no prior Breathwork experience is required.

Should I choose the online cohort or an in-person Phoenix intensive?

Both pathways teach the same surrender-based Liquid Breathwork method. The 12-week online cohort (starts October 6, 2026, $1,497) is the most flexible option, with live weekly group calls you can join from anywhere. The three-day in-person Phoenix intensives run Friday through Sunday on September 25-27 (sold out), October 23-25, 2026 ($1,697 early bird for the first 3 spots, then $1,997), and November 6-8, 2026 ($1,697 early bird for the first 3 spots, then $1,997), with hands-on facilitation practice and time to connect with your cohort in person. Choose online for flexibility, or Phoenix for an immersive in-person experience.

Take the First Step

Ready to Start?

Becoming a Breathwork facilitator is a commitment to your own healing and growth, and to being someone who holds that space for others. If something on this page resonated with you, trust that.

Apply Now Book a Call Instead

Or call 480-660-9890 to talk with Ryan or Shelby directly.

Clarity Call